Salubre Skincare is a range that was developed by Dr Irene Prantalos, a Registered Acupuncturist in Surrey Hills, Sydney. I had planned to include this range as part of my Facials in Isolation article, but the more I read about the range and it’s creation, the more I felt I wanted to give it a standalone story.
I was sent an absolutely beautiful package from Salubre, but little did I know I was opening a world of treatment possibilities, not luxury skincare in beautiful packaging.
Dr Irene Prantalos: Her Story of Psoriasis
Psoriasis
In her 20’s Dr Prantalos developed psoriasis. As with my mum, it caused embarrassment in a way that only those with the condition can really understand. People can be judgemental, especially during a flare-up and for many people, isolation is the only way to deal with the situation.
20 years later and Dr Irene Prantalos is in a very different headspace and offers hope to those who are challenged with inflammation. She acknowledges there is no magic cure for many conditions, including psoriasis. She does however her solutions for health to try to build a healthy physical self to try to prevent flareups. Her goal is to manage the disease as there is no cure.
“I’ve spent over 20 years looking for ways to manage the psoriasis that totally took over my body. There was a lot of trial and error and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent trialing anything that claimed it could help psoriasis. Fast forward to today, I decided to package what actually worked into this online program, 5 Steps to Target and Manage Psoriasis***. This was extremely important for me to do so, as I struggled to understand why this was happening to me. If I could take all the positive therapies that worked for me and share this to help anyone else get off this psoriatic disease roller coaster and start managing their psoriasis, then perhaps there was a reason for all those tough years I had. This program, helps you make the key changes you need to make to your diet and lifestyle. Personally, I understand this process takes time and that is why you have life-time access so that your transformation occurs step by step at the pace your body needs to heal from within.”
Dr Irene Prantalos
My Own History Psoriatic Arthritis
I don’t have the skin of psoriasis, I have psoriatic arthritis, which means a flare-up is invisible, apart from puffy fingers and toes, but it is excruciatingly painful, causes exhaustion and needs serious medication to manage joint mobility and flare-ups. It’s the same cause and action, but it happens in my joints. Sometimes I get the beginnings of psoriasis when I can patches of flaky skin that only I can feel, but they pass with careful body skincare, reducing stress and living well.
I also take a heavy-duty cocktail of injections (Enbrel) and immune suppressants (Methotrexate) to prevent damage to my joints and alleviate the condition. These are not to be taken lightly, they have huge side effects, but the alternative for me is being practically bedridden. This is why the Salubre Skin Clinic’s methods appeal to me and why I’m writing this story. I am acutely aware that when I am looking after myself, eating foods that don’t cause inflammation, avoiding sugar and alcohol, my body isn’t as prone to flare-ups. I can also see that stress in my life makes the condition worse.
The Salubre Skin Clinic Approach
Treating skin issues takes time and in the day and age people want instant fixes. Unfortunately skin is an organ that is a reflection of the body’s over all health. The Sabubre Clinic believe that the quicker a solution is, the more concerning the side effects can be. Take cortisone cream. It seems like a gift from heaven for people with skin conditions. But if you read the side effects of cortisone, it’s evident that it is a powerful drug that does have a lot of downsides. When you stop cortisone cream, you may experience even more severe flare-ups. The Salubre Clinic has a program of psoriasis management definitely worth investigating.
The clinic doesn’t recommend you stop your treatment and to always consult your doctor for any health concerns or medical conditions. The clinic works alongside conventional medicine, in no way, claim psoriasis is curable or will this program cure this diseased state.
Back to the Pearl Brilliance Anti-Ageing Skin Rejuvenation Range
What do psoriasis and the development of a skincare range have to do with each other? For me, I see the skin as a barometer of my health. I believe that if you take care of your skin, all over your body and face, you tend to take care of your overall health, drinking enough water, eating the rainbow, getting enough sleep, and choosing products for your face that are carefully formulated, and are easy to use regularly.
Turning 50 last year has made me take a step back and really look at how I take care of myself and manage a complicated medical history. It’s also made me look beyond the pretty packaging and really explore ingredients, brand ethos and the long term effects of my skincare routine. I use a lot of different products from different ranges, so when I discover good skincare I want to share it.
Salubre Skincare looks beautiful. You may scoff at my obsession with packaging, but it does impact my motivation to use it religiously. If a product sits on my shelf looking practical but uninspiring, I use it like medication. Sure I use it for a while. But I don’t enjoy the ritual and after a while I let it lapse and fall into bad habits. Beautifully packaged skincare is an invitation to indulge, and so I am more dedicated to my morning and night skincare routine.
Pearl Brilliance Organic 8 Cleansing Oil
A fan of the oil cleansing method, this oil cleanser smells heavenly and is easy to use. Cleansing with oil removes makeup, without stripping the skin of natural protective oils, as well as good bacteria on the skin. This all aids in preventing redness and inflammation of skin.
Rose Rejuvenating Spritzer With Marine Collagen (Cleanse and Hydrate)
This is an ultra-gentle toner to complete the cleansing process. Active ingredients compliment the other products in the range. Essential nutrients contained in the mist, enter into the skin to assist in revitalising the appearance of the skin.
I love toners. They are like the punctuation mark on cleansing.
Pomegranate Exfoliating Gel
Pomegranate contains ‘Proteolytic Enzymes’ which act to gently exfoliate the dull dry skin cells and break down the skin’s oil that binds the dead cells together. This works to that skin appears smoother and brighter.
Exfoliating is an essential component of skincare. It allows the active ingredients in the other to be absorbed deeply.
I thought this would be a gritty exfoliator, but it is a smooth gel and my skin didn’t react and feels great.
Anti-oxidant Enriched Day Moisturising Cream (Beautify + Nourish + Hydrate + Rejuvenate)
This anti-oxidant Enriched Day Moisturising Cream is packed with antioxidants and skin-nourishing ingredients. During the day the skin has an increased need for antioxidants to fight nasty free radicals from exposure to things like the sun, cigarette smoke, pollution and stress. This day cream is uniquely formulated to reduce such damage while repairing your skin’s beauty. It also feels incredible on the face and decolletage.
My Verdict?
I’m really impressed. This range has everything I want in a skincare solution, and the Pearl Brilliance Essentials Pack covers most of it. I would also invest in a serum and a night cream from the range.
Drops of Youth ‘Elixir of Beauty’
Rejuvenating Night Cream With Vitamin A
I’m going to use it religiously for a month, and give a long term verdict, but the entire philosophy of the brand and clinic is something that resonates with me and inspires me to take better care of myself.
